Sometimes I decide to let people in rather than just stand on my soapbox and rage. Look... Why do I scream at my members? Why do I scream at my "FOLLOWERS"? Why do I scream at my friends?... Sigh. Let me explain something. And I ask before you reflexively hit comment to leave some kind of passive aggressive FB comment, to think about my words. www.ninjaevolution.net is a beast... Ninjavideo before it was an even bigger beast. I am the Leader of this movement. Both by choice and inadvertently. When the cogs of this monster start moving, I slip into a manic mode because the responsibilities of the "Queen" are much different than the average member. I lead multiple Skype chats, I start bouncing websites for cross platform, I start all the conversations about Spotlight (I fell in love with our last artist... and our first one)... I handle the Tournaments, I pay all the bills, I work on the side to make sure I'm not looking for ethernet ports in the street, and I run the drama chats to make sure my members don't kill eachother when they're not sexting. The list goes on. I say this to let you get a glimpse into my morning. Not my day. Half the time, these are the thoughts flashing behind my closed eyelids as I struggle to get out of bed.

What do I ask from my people?

Yes... my people. I know my tone is odd... but so is Ninja. We are a merit-based monarchy. I ask my people to give a fuck about eachother. That. is. all. I ask them to post. I ask them to go to eachother's threads and to acknowledge their brethren. That is the #1 rule of the Ninja Core which is the elite of the Ninja Membership. And sometimes I fucking scream. Because it cuts through me in a way that might be extreme... but it's the reality, and it's why THEY call ME Queen. It's why I shut my fucking mouth when Homeland Security showed up. Because I could never turn on them. I would never. I would have killed myself. And I mean that with every fiber in my being. For those of you who don't know, I had a private meeting with the prosecutors where I offered to take all the time for my co-defendents if they would just drop their charges.

//smiles sadly... they refused... and so many of you hate me. And it's okay. I know who I am and what I did. I was willing to walk into that prison for a decade for my people. People who ran from me. But I would never run from them. And when the time came... I didn't.

So... Why do I scream? Because all I ask of you is to post to EACHOTHER.... NOT FOR YOURSELVES. That is what FB is for. Here is your wall people. Here is where you can acknowledge yourselves all day. Evolution is for your community. Evolution is for the others. Evolution is for those bonds between us. I don't ask anyone to do anything else. I don't have a running GoFundMe for server bills. I don't ask anyone to contribute to my quarter million dollar restitution. I don't ask anyone to crowbar the IRS off me as the come after me. I ask you to say... "OMG, your art is beautiful... holy shit, your writing makes me cry, babygirl... i'm here for you and your story, hahahah, i got a joke for you too..." That's what I ask from my members. That's all. So... if you've experienced my "wrath" ... think about why. You didn't hurt me, you ignored them. And you can't be around me if you ignored them. They deserve more. They made me. And if you want to be near me... you go through them. They are Ninja.

The Golden Rule; a cornerstone of most religions, and it's hard for anyone to really twist it's meaning to fit any other narrative than the truth. Reciprocity, empathy, do unto others... care about each other. Not so much to ask for in a civilized society, or here on Ninja.

Phara wrote:Yes... my people. I know my tone is odd... but so is Ninja. We are a merit-based monarchy. I ask my people to give a fuck about eachother. That. is. all. I ask them to post. I ask them to go to eachother's threads and to acknowledge their brethren. That is the #1 rule of the Ninja Core which is the elite of the Ninja Membership.

This Shit is Ninja.

//Queen Phara

engage. its simple really.. maybe a little tough to execute but soo much community potential is abound. it might take some consistent awareness of others, and a bit of attentiveness, but its all part of the machine and the synergy of motion that is the ninja ideal. word.

*side note - for those that arent up to speed... the podcasts are quite helpful!

you can't be around me if you ignored them. They deserve more. They made me. And if you want to be near me... you go through them. They are Ninja.

I run the drama chats to make sure my members don't kill eachother when they're not sexting. The list goes on. I say this to let you get a glimpse into my morning. Not my day. Half the time, these are the thoughts flashing behind my closed eyelids as I struggle to get out of bed.

- like guardians that imprison your mind.. imagery is somewhat unsettling and reasuring

I found my way back to ninja in a bad time, you pushed me to still come here and lurk, the lurking did make me share and I felt loved, warm fuzzy feelings, that the ninja community cares, means so much to me. I'm a facebook freak, I found myself there when 1.0 died and my to-go-to social network went down, bc most people migrated to fb. I learned to manage myself there, I have a ridiculous amount of friends, real life, old ones, gaming friends (Yes I play fb games) gaming friends form dead games that I keep around bc they are cool (or the think I'm cool) Anyway, even though I have all those people there, this is where I feel safe, this is where I feel people are more real. Or at least more civilised. I take time before I respond, I don't read and react. There are so many topics that I want to be involved in, but time is scarce, so I am here lurking a lot, sharing my crochet, some of my feels, it's home. You screaming and pushing, some people need to be pushed, some need to be screamed at to wake up. If they can't handle that, they can get out, we are not having a revolution holding hands, singing kumbaya, we hold on to each other and face the world, screaming, cursing with our queen leading us.

Live today, 'cause if you don't, you might live to regret it....Amanda Marshall

I've had to work on this myself. Sometimes I fall into my educate yo' self and TV discussion niches. That being said,lately I've been venturing into literature and art much more often. I am getting more comfortable with commenting on people's work.

What ha helped me is I look at the top right for unanswered threads, and try to be the first to respond. Or, I pick on specific forum area and answer as many posts as time permits in that section. Also, I avoid FB at all costs.

PhlawlessPhelon wrote:I've had to work on this myself. Sometimes I fall into my educate yo' self and TV discussion niches. That being said,lately I've been venturing into literature and art much more often. I am getting more comfortable with commenting on people's work.

What ha helped me is I look at the top right for unanswered threads, and try to be the first to respond. Or, I pick on specific forum area and answer as many posts as time permits in that section. Also, I avoid FB at all costs.

you can't be around me if you ignored them. They deserve more. They made me. And if you want to be near me... you go through them. They are Ninja.

I run the drama chats to make sure my members don't kill eachother when they're not sexting. The list goes on. I say this to let you get a glimpse into my morning. Not my day. Half the time, these are the thoughts flashing behind my closed eyelids as I struggle to get out of bed.

- like guardians that imprison your mind.. imagery is somewhat unsettling and reasuring

Phara wrote:....I say this to let you get a glimpse into my morning. Not my day.

this is no exaggeration. you hear us admins talking about how much goes on behind-the-curtain....well, i'll multiply that sentiment a hundredfold. i know it never stops for you. not in your sleep. not ever.

Phara wrote:It's why I shut my fucking mouth when Homeland Security showed up. Because I could never turn on them. I would never. I would have killed myself. And I mean that with every fiber in my being.

I was willing to walk into that prison for a decade for my people. People who ran from me. But I would never run from them. And when the time came... I didn't.

i happen to be one of the few, if not only remaining members who can personally and continuously (bow) for not having HS show up at my door. it has me verkelmpt even now as i type and consider the entire weight what you did for us...for ME. and the scorn i feel for the fact that so few stayed by your side after...

Phara wrote:So... if you've experienced my "wrath" ... think about why. You didn't hurt me, you ignored them. And you can't be around me if you ignored them. They deserve more. They made me. And if you want to be near me... you go through them. They are Ninja.

this is so entirely gorgeous, so beautifully selfless. if folks don't get it after you've explained it like this, then we just have to keep in mind that thing i like to remind everyone of:cast not pearls before swine

look, i don't want to reiterate what's already been said, but i can share something that can help:

i think one of the hardest things a lot of folks run into is what to say exactly about someone's Art, whether in the form of Literature or Painting. people feel like the suddenly need to become art critics and use the same kind of language, since that's mostly how we are all exposed to discussion about creative works.

but the truth is, much of the noise is a load of BS - projected analysis and general snobbery meant to make the author sound smarter than everyone else because he/she is in "the know" about this Mysterious Thing that is Art. sure, you can learn about certain concepts, for example in visual art there's the composition, the color palette, the brush technique, and on and on. but this is all technical stuff. and it's cool to crit someone's stuff from a technical standpoint because it can be extremely helpful, but that's not the main thing Art does, or exists for.

when talking about Art, it's all about an emotional reaction. that's the very first thing that happens when you say, look at a photograph or read a poem whether you're even conscious of it at the moment or not. your Right Brain fires up...perhaps you suddenly remember a song that used to play on the school-bus, or you get the phantom smell of your aunt's fried chicken, or you think of a long lost love, or the time your mom held you when you cried...

all that REALLY matters, is that you put that initial reaction into language. that very act forges a new neural pathway - makes a connection between your Right and Left Brains...so it's actually GOOD FOR YOUR MIND!!!

and the more and more you do this, it becomes easier and easier, like second nature. you become more adept at discussing emotions and in turn, knowing what to say when someone's work really hits you. and even when it does not. to the creator of the work, that feedback, no matter if it really is say, just reminding you of an old car you used to drive, is so entirely valuable. at the core it's a back-and-forth sharing of energy. and that's what we are here for.

once this was explained to me as a fresh art student, my world was never the same and i began to appreciate all mediums in a new and profound way.

i hope it just helps everyone post more about other people's creations.

NaranjaRa wrote:i think one of the hardest things a lot of folks run into is what to say exactly about someone's Art, whether in the form of Literature or Painting. people feel like the suddenly need to become art critics and use the same kind of language, since that's mostly how we are all exposed to discussion about creative works.

but the truth is, much of the noise is a load of BS - projected analysis and general snobbery meant to make the author sound smarter than everyone else because he/she is in "the know" about this Mysterious Thing that is Art. sure, you can learn about certain concepts, for example in visual art there's the composition, the color palette, the brush technique, and on and on. but this is all technical stuff. and it's cool to crit someone's stuff from a technical standpoint because it can be extremely helpful, but that's not the main thing Art does, or exists for.

when talking about Art, it's all about an emotional reaction. that's the very first thing that happens when you say, look at a photograph or read a poem whether you're even conscious of it at the moment or not. your Right Brain fires up...perhaps you suddenly remember a song that used to play on the school-bus, or you get the phantom smell of your aunt's fried chicken, or you think of a long lost love, or the time your mom held you when you cried...

all that REALLY matters, is that you put that initial reaction into language. that very act forges a new neural pathway - makes a connection between your Right and Left Brains...so it's actually GOOD FOR YOUR MIND!!!

and the more and more you do this, it becomes easier and easier, like second nature. you become more adept at discussing emotions and in turn, knowing what to say when someone's work really hits you. and even when it does not. to the creator of the work, that feedback, no matter if it really is say, just reminding you of an old car you used to drive, is so entirely valuable. at the core it's a back-and-forth sharing of energy. and that's what we are here for.

once this was explained to me as a fresh art student, my world was never the same and i began to appreciate all mediums in a new and profound way.

i hope it just helps everyone post more about other people's creations.

NaranjaRa wrote:i think one of the hardest things a lot of folks run into is what to say exactly about someone's Art, whether in the form of Literature or Painting. people feel like the suddenly need to become art critics and use the same kind of language, since that's mostly how we are all exposed to discussion about creative works.

but the truth is, much of the noise is a load of BS - projected analysis and general snobbery meant to make the author sound smarter than everyone else because he/she is in "the know" about this Mysterious Thing that is Art. sure, you can learn about certain concepts, for example in visual art there's the composition, the color palette, the brush technique, and on and on. but this is all technical stuff. and it's cool to crit someone's stuff from a technical standpoint because it can be extremely helpful, but that's not the main thing Art does, or exists for.

when talking about Art, it's all about an emotional reaction. that's the very first thing that happens when you say, look at a photograph or read a poem whether you're even conscious of it at the moment or not. your Right Brain fires up...perhaps you suddenly remember a song that used to play on the school-bus, or you get the phantom smell of your aunt's fried chicken, or you think of a long lost love, or the time your mom held you when you cried...

all that REALLY matters, is that you put that initial reaction into language. that very act forges a new neural pathway - makes a connection between your Right and Left Brains...so it's actually GOOD FOR YOUR MIND!!!

and the more and more you do this, it becomes easier and easier, like second nature. you become more adept at discussing emotions and in turn, knowing what to say when someone's work really hits you. and even when it does not. to the creator of the work, that feedback, no matter if it really is say, just reminding you of an old car you used to drive, is so entirely valuable. at the core it's a back-and-forth sharing of energy. and that's what we are here for.

once this was explained to me as a fresh art student, my world was never the same and i began to appreciate all mediums in a new and profound way.

i hope it just helps everyone post more about other people's creations.

In the act of making left and right brain connections we strenth and heal our highest self.

I feel I am still re-learning how to forum. How to post for others then myself. How to not post showing a face, but post raw and exposed, not for myself, but for the community. I'm not that big of a poster on fb anymore, since it's such a attention whore site now. I just game and group there. But however big that black hole is that I am comfy in, however I detach myself from the world. Ninja IS on my mind. I just need to adjust again. Adjust without rolling over and show what I think others want to see.

Live today, 'cause if you don't, you might live to regret it....Amanda Marshall